Steering gear control speed regulator for vehicles



Dec., 6, w38. D. .1. ALVARADO, .1R 139,569

STEERING GEAR CONTROL SPEED REGULATOR FOR VEHICLES Filed June lO, 1957 Patented 6, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEA 2,139,569 sranamc om coNraoL SPEED anon- LATOE FOR VEHICLE Don Jose Alvarado, Jr.,

Richmond, Va., alsignor 9 Claims.`

The present inventionxis a steering gear control device for regulating the speed of internal combustion engines of vehicles such as automol blies and the like.

In the operation of motor vehicles and the like,y

for negotiating the curve, whereby control oi' the Cil automobile is lost or due to the forces operating upon the car at such high speed, it overturns or nms oi! the road.

A similar condition exists when operators attempt to swerve on a road, travelling at high speed, to avoid another automobile or other objects, which condition frequently results in loss of control of the vehicle. Y

'I'he object of the present invention is to overcome the above situation by automatically removing from the operator speed control of the car, when such conditions are encountered, and to automatically reduce the speed.

A stillfurther object of the invention contemplates the application of the brakes when the speed of the\,car is or has been automatically reduced, thereby insuring that the speed of the car will be slackened to a degree which will insure safety of operation.

'I'he above objects are accomplished by providing means controlled by the position of the steering gear of the vehicle which will actuate vthe fuel control to the power plant of the vehicle, and which may also control the operation of the brakes when predetermined positions of the steering gear have been reached.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the specification proceeds, the in vention resides in the details of construction, the combination and organization of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing, which shows one embodiment of the invention as at present advised,

Figure l is an elevation of sufficient of an internal combustion engine, the chassis of an automobile and the brake mechanism, to which the present invention is applied, to illustrate the invention and its operation, certain of the parts beingI broken away and shown in section for convenience of illustration and to show details of construction;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional View taken through the rods Il and 3l or 4I and 43 of Figure 1 to show the connection between said rods; and

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail plan view of a x'nodied connection between the gearing element 20 and the device of the invention.

Referring more in'detail to the drawing and as a satisfactory exempliiication of the invention,

an internal combustion engine III is partially iilustrated which usually has a carburetor II for furnishing an explosive mixture to the engine. The carburetor or the intake manifold I2 is oommoniy equipped with a throttle valve I3 for regulating the amount of fuel supplied to the engine, hence controlling the speed of the same. 'I'he throttle valve is also usually controlled by means of a rod Il, or the equivalent thereof, connected with a hand lever or foot accelerator (not shown) as the case may be, and with a lever I5 fast on the shaft of the throttle valve, a spring or other suitable means I8 being provided` for biasing the throttle valve and the rod I4 to normally closed position.

In order to maintain the running of the engine at idling speeds, the throttle valve is maintained opened by suitable means, such as an adjustable screw I'I carried on the lever I5 and engaging a stationary abutment I8. On the chassis I9 of the vehicle, or some other suitable part, is usually found a pitman-arm or other equivalent element 2U connected to the steering gear mechanism through a connecting rod 2I. All of the mechanism just described is common to most motor vehicles in one form or another.

'I'he present invention consists in the provision of mechanism which, when the Pitman-arm or element has moved in either direction a predetermined distance, (thereby moving the wheels or other steering means to a position for directing movement of a vehicle in an arcuate or curvilinear path) the throttle valve, which may be opened beyond its idling position, will be returned automatically and beyond the control of the operator of the vehicle to an idling position or, at

least, to reduce the iiow of fuel supply tothe i motor, thereby reducing the speed of the latter. 'Ihe mechanism just mentioned may take the form, shown in the drawing, which consists of a master cylinder 22 having a piston valve 23 siidably mounted therein and having connection with the intake manifold I2 of the engine by a suitable conduit 24, whereby the cylinder 22 is subjected to the action of the intake suction or vacuum created in the manifold during the operation of the engine I0, in a manner which is well understood. v

'I'he piston valve 23 has a connecting rod 25 extending from .one end thereof through the cylinder 22 and ,is held into contact with the steering element 2li to follow the movement thereof by meansv of an expansion spring 26 of sufficient strength to resist the action of the intake suction through the pipe 24; or, the rod 26 may be positively connected to the member 20 by any suitable means such as a clamp 21. A power or servo-motor device in the form of a cylinder 28is positioned in a convenient platev adjacent the accelerator rod Il and is connected at one end to the master cylinder 22. The cyl- Inder 28 has disposed in it a piston 30 from which a connecting rod 3i extends, having suitable connection with the accelerator rod I4.

It is proposed that the ports 24a and 29a, at which the conduit 24 and conduit 29 are connected to the master cylinder 22, be disposed on opposite sides of and equally spaced from the piston 23 when the latter is in normal position, that is, when the steering element 2l) is in such position'as to steer the vehicle in a straight line path of movement, as shown in Figure 1.

Now, assuming that the vehicle is proceeding at a high rate of speed, probably from 30 to 80 miles an hour, and approaches a curve which cannot be negotiated by it except at great risk and hazard at such speed, as the steering gear is operated to place the steering wheels in such anguiar position with respect to the longitudinal axis of the chassis that turn the vehicle for.

executing the curve, the piston valve 23 will be moved by its rod 25 either to the right or left (according to the direction of movement of the steering gear). If this degree of movement exceeds the predetermined position at which the points 24a and 29a have been disposed, one or the other is uncovered by the piston 23, thereby allowing the action of the intake suction from the manifold I2 through lthe conduit 24 to operate the piston 30, moving it to the right in Figure 3, whereby the accelerator rod I4 will be positively moved and thereby moving the throttle valve I3 to closing position, thus reducing the fuel supply to the engine and consequently the speed of the engine while negotiating the curve. As soon as the steering gear is operated to a position whereby it will move the valve 23 to an intermediate position between the ports 24a and 29a, the intake suction will be relieved from the conduit 29 and the throttle valve will then be under the control of the operator of the machine.

In order that the action of the piston 3D, under the influence of the intake suction, may operate the accelerator rod I4 while the operator of the car is depressing the accelerator pedal (or otherwise actuating the saine), any suitable means may be provided for this operation. As an example of one manner in which it may be accomplished, the rod I4 may consist of two telescoping sections at a point between the manual control element and its connection 3Ia with the piston rod 3i. To this end an end portion of the rod I4 has a sleeve-like socket I4a in which an extension I4b of the rod I4 telescopes, there being a compression spring I4c disposed between the end of the rod section I 4b and the end of the sleeve I4a, thereby providing a resilient or yielding connection in the accelerator rod I4. It will therefore be observed that the only pressure or work that the piston 30 has to overcome or do, in order to actuate the rod I4 for closing the throttle valve I3, is to overcome the pressure of the spring I4c because the spring I6 will move the throttle valve toward closing position. The spring I4c is of 'such strength that it will be compressed by the operation of the piston 30 but sufficient to prevent substantial compression thereof upon operation of the rod section I4b to open the throttle valve I3 when the piston 30 is not actuated. Also the piston rod 3| may have a slidable or loose connection with a link member 3Ia clamped on the rod I4 and may have adjustable collars 32 and 32a thereon, on opposite sides of the link 3Ia and normally spaced a predetermined distance therefrom. By adjustment of the collar 32, the extent ofJ closure -of the throttle valve I3 may be varied.

In order to permit a nicety of adjustment in assembly of the device or to enable adjustment to compensate for wear, the connecting rod 2l of the master cylinder may have an adjustable extension 25a thereon. 'I'he tension of the spring 26 may be varied by adjustment of the threaded collar or boss 33.

'I'he master cylinder 22 is provided with a vent 34 on the side of the piston valve 23 which is not normally subjected to the vacuum or intake suction so that any air accumulated in that end of the cylinder may be vented and thereby permit free unhindered operation of the valve 23. The vent 34 is provided with a check valve 35 therein to permit exhaust of air from the cylinder, but preventing admission of outside air thereto. Likewise, the cylinder `28 is provided with a vent 36 having a similar check valve 31.

It is also contemplated by this invention and is a part thereof that, when the throttle valve I3 is closed by action of the steering member 20, the brakes of the vehicle will be also applied to slacken or reduce the speed of the same. This may be accomplished by a direct mechanical connection between the braking mechanism and the element 20, but as at present devised this connection is established by connecting a power device or servo-motor 38, in the form of a cylinder having a piston 39 therein and connected at one end to the suction pipe 29 by meansv of the conduit 40.

The servo-motor 38 is similar to the servomotor 28 previously described and has a piston 39 therein having a piston rod 4I extending therefrom and connected by a link 42 (similar in all respects to the link 3Ia shown in Figure 2) clamped or otherwise attached to an operating part of the brake mechanism, such as the brake rod 43, as shown in the drawing. 'I'he piston rod 4I has collars 44 and 45 adjustably secured thereto and arranged on opposite sides of the link 42. By adjustment of the collar 44 the timing or extent of application of the brakes may be varied.

The brake mechanism is generally indicated at B, Figure 1, and it comprises a drum 43, brake shoes 41 and cam surfaces or dogs 48 Von a shaft 49 for expanding the shoes 41 to braking position, in a manner well understood in the art, the shoes being biased to the non-expanded position by suitable means, such as a spring 50. 'I'he shaft 49 is oscillated by a lever 5I clamped thereto and suitably connected to the brake rod 43 or other suitable mechanism usually provided. The servo-motor 38 may operate all of the brakes of the wheels of the vehicle or there may be one provided for the braking means of each wheel.

From the mechanism just described, it will be observed that the position of the ports 24a and 29a must be predetermined in accordance with the desired angular adjustment of the steering wheels, relative to the chassis, at which it is desired for the device to operate. In the device shown in Figure 3, an adjustment may be readily made to bring the device into operation atv any desired degree of angular adjustment of the wheels. This adjustment consists of a. link 52 which may be substituted for the extension 25a, shown in Figure 1, the link having adjustable abutments 53 disposed on opposite sides of the steering element 20 and adapted to be engaged, respectively, by the steering element according to its direction of movement. It will thus be ralsaeo obvious that by a proper adjustment of the link 52 on the piston rod 25 and proper'adjustment of the abutments 53, that either of the latter may be engaged by the element 20 to movethe valve 23 to uncover the ports 24a`and 29a. for eiecting the above described operation of the pistons 30 and 39 resulting in the closing of the throttle valve I3 and the application of the brakes at any desired angular position of the steering wheel of the vehicle. Of course, when the connection shown in Figure 3 is used suitable means may be employed to return the piston 23 to its normal position shown in Figure 1, and to this end the spring 26 may be utilized for moving the piston 23 in both directions to its normal position or an additional spring may be interposed between the head of the piston 23 and vthe end of the cylinder 22 through which the rod 25 extends.

Having thus described the invention in detail and the manner in which the same is to be performed, it is understood that the. invention is not to be limited to the exact details of the description and disclosure in the drawing herewith, because the same may be modified and varied in numerous ways within the scope of the present invention, and it is desired that the invention is not to be limited beyond the scope .of the appended claims.

That which is claimed is: Y

l. In a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine, a throttle valve for the engine, steering means and braking means for the vehicle, moving means for both said valve and said l braking means and subject to the intake mani'old pressure, and means actuated by the steering means for rendering said moving means responsive to said intake manifold pressure-when the steering means is in certain of its positions.

2. In a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine, a throttle valve for the engine,

steering means and braking means for the vehicle, moving means for both said valve and said braking means and subject to the intake manifold pressure and movable in one direction thereby, and means actuated by the steering means for rendering said moving means responsive to said intake manifold pressure, when the steering mearis is in certain oi its positions.

3. In a fuel control means for internal combustion enginesoi' motor vehicles havingsteeringV mechanism, said control means comprising a throttle valve, a manually actuated.mechanism for operating the throttle valve, power means actuated by the intake manifold pressure of the engine for moving the throttle valve to closing position, and valve means actuated by the steering gear when in certain predetermined positions to render said power means effective for closing said valve, whereby the flow of fuel supply to the engine is reduced to correspondingly reduce the power to the vehicle when making curves.

4. In a fuel control means for internal combustion engines of motor vehicles having vsteering mechanism, said control means comprising a throttle valve, a manually actuated mechanism for operating the throttle valve, power means actuated by the intake manifold pressure of the engine for moving the throttle valve to closing position, and valve means actuated by the steering gear when in certain predetermined positions to render said power means effective for closing said valve, whereby the ow of f uel supply to the engine is reduced to correspondingly reduce the power to the vehicle when taking curves, and

means permitting actuation of said pressure actuated means irrespective of the operation of said' manually actuated throttle valve operating 5 means.

5. In a fuel control means for controlling fuel in internal combustion engines of motor vehicles having steering mechanism, said control means comprising a throttle valve, manually actuated mechanism for operating the throttle valve, power means actuated by the intake manifold pressure of theengine for moving the throttle valve to closing position, and means actuated by the steering gear to render said power means eilective for Aclosing said valve, said power means being connected to the manually operated throttle valve operating means through a loose connection, and adjustable means included in said loose connection, whereby the extent of closing movement of the throttle valve by the pressure actuated means may be varied.

6. A fuel control means for internal combus- I tion engines of motor vehicles having steering mechanism and braking mechanism therefor, said control means comprising a throttle valve,l a manually actuated mechanism for operating the throttle valve, means actuated by the intake manifold pressure of the engine for moving the throttle valve to closing position, and other means for applying said braking mechanism and actuated by the intake manifold pressure of the engine, and means actuated by the position of the steering gear to render eiective said pressure actuated throttle valve operating means as well as said pressure actuated brake applying means, when the steering mechanism is in certain of its positions.

7. A device as set forth in claim 6 further characterized by said pressure actuating means for closing the throttle valve and applying the brakes having a loose connection With the throttle valve and said braking mechanism, and adjustable means included in each of said loose connections,

whereby the extent of closing movement of the throttle valve and the extent of theqapplication of brakes by the movement of said steering gear may be varied.

8. In a fu'el control means for internal combustion engines of motor vehicles having steering 50 mechanism, said control means comprising a throttle valve, a manually actuated mechanism for operating the throttle valve means actuated by the intake manifold pressure of the engine for moving the throttle valve to closing position, and

means actuated by thev steering gear to render said last mentioned means eiective for closing said valve, said steering gear actuated' means in.- cluding adjustable abutments on opposite sides Y of the path of movement oi an element ot the e0 steering gear, whereby the points at which said steering gear actuated means is eflectually operated by the steering gear during the movement of the steering gear may be varied.

9. A device as set forth in,ciaim 6 further 05 steering gear actuated means is effectually operated by the steering gear during the movement ot the steering gear may be varied.

' DON JOSE ALVARADO, Ja. 

